Jerry Orabona (jorabona@jerryo.com)
Wed, 26 May 1999 11:12:59 -0400
Developing by inspection is an art not a science. Proficiency comes only
with experience. However there are several key factors to keep in mind.
1. There is no way to judge N from N+1 or other subtle changes in density.
The time and temperature method is more consistent when working to exacting
standards. On the other hand if you are pushing film don't quite know how
long to develop for inspection is a godsend.
2. You have to let your eyes adjust to the dark. You can not use a
light-tight tank {roll film}, turn the lights off just before inspecting the
film and expect to be able to see anything. Inspection development means
sitting in the dark for the entire development. It's not that much more
boring.
3. Don't use a short stop. A tank filled with plain water gives you
somewhere to put your film if while you inspect the rest of the batch.
4. Don't put the film too close to the safelight it will fog in under 30sec.
5. You can inspect small films. When doing so you are not judging a specfic
frame but the general contrast of the roll.
I have been developing film by inspection for almost 20 years. It is a very
handy tool when used within it's limits. Good Luck
Jerry Orabona
http://jerryo.com
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> -----Original Message-----
> From: Sandy King [mailto:sanking@hubcap.clemson.edu]
> Sent: Saturday, May 22, 1999 1:02 PM
> To: alt-photo-process-l@skyway.usask.ca
> Subject: Develop by Inspection, Was Re: Question about FX-2
>
>
> Steve,
>
> I have the current issue of View Camera and have looked at the article.
> There was also a very good article on this topic some 6-9 years back in
> either Darkroom Photography or Darkroom Technique. I kept the issue for a
> long time but lost it a few years back. Perhaps someone on the list can
> provide the correct bibliographic information for that article?
>
> My experience with developing by inspection was not very
> positive. Although
> I made several real attempts to get it right I was simply unable to judge
> when development needed to stop.
>
> Sandy
>
>
>
> >If you're developing negatives any bigger than 4X5, you MUST try by
> >inspection; and the best article to date is the one by Michael
> Smith in the
> >current View Camera magazine.
> >
> >It's amazing to my very experienced friends, that FX 2 can be
> used to expand
> >film density with development times up to a half hour and more
> without grain
> >swelling like the Acufine formulas.
> >
> >Like Edwardo, back in the late 1800's Euguene Atget used this and left it
> >standing for an hour and a half with agitation every twenty minutes.
> >
> >It's good stuff!
> >
> >S. Shapiro, Carmel, CA
>
>
>
>
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.0b3 on Thu Oct 28 1999 - 21:39:35